


WTFV The Surprise Date Fic

by Daffadowndilly



Series: Short Fluff (Multi-fandom) [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Accidental Relationship, Again, Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Short, Surprise Date, alternate POV, carlos to the rescue, much nonesense, so cute, the surprise date fic, very fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 06:28:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8522146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daffadowndilly/pseuds/Daffadowndilly
Summary: Cecil's date hasn't shown up. Carlos to the rescue. Carlos' POV.





	

Carlos was thrilled. And a little annoyed. Mostly thrilled.

He’d know that this town, Night Vale, was one of the most- possibly THE most- scientifically interesting places in America. Maybe the world. Still, he’d not expected a giant, luminescent cloud floating over the town, dispensing copious amounts of animal carcasses, to be greeted with the kind of mild surprise and annoyance most of the inhabitants were exhibiting.

Despite how scientifically interesting the storm was, it was also rather smelly and he wanted to get off the street; plus Carlos was hungry.

The man on the radio had mentioned a restaurant today, Gino’s Diner or something.

* * * * *

It didn’t take long to find Gino’s, but once he found it he hesitated at the entrance.

There was a man seated near enough to the window for his profile to be clearly visible. He looked very uncomfortable.

The chair opposite was empty, as was his table-for-two, excluding an untouched drink and a large brick which seemed to serve as a centerpiece. The man-- handsome, tall, well-groomed, and well-dressed-- seemed extremely conscious of the empty seat.

He shifted and blinked rapidly, avoiding the eyes of those around him. A good number of the people in the restaurant seemed to know the man, and looked his way regularly.

They were obviously interested to see if the chair would ever be filled.

Carlos watched for a moment. When the man’s head seemed to sink, as though to bow beneath the weight of his fellow Night Valians’ stares. The movement sent Carlos into action.

He stepped into the restaurant.

* * * * *

Suddenly he was standing behind the man he’d seen through the window. Carlos froze for a moment.

 _But how did I get here?_ He thought. He had no memory of moving from the door to this spot. In fact, _where did the door go?_ He wondered.

The seated man stiffened. Carlos remembered why he was there.

“Sorry I’m so late, babe, traffic is crazy right now. Some kind of storm is dropping dead animals everywhere.” He said as he moved to stand opposite the man.

He spoke as clearly has he could, hoping that those staring people would take the hint to mind their own business.

The man froze in shock, staring at Carlos like someone who sees the sun after weeks underground. Confused, surprised, like he couldn’t quite understand what he was seeing. Carlos even thought the man’s pupils dilated like they might in response to a bright light.

He tried to cover the man’s shock, chuckling he said, “did I startle you, honey?”

The man nodded.

Carlos sat down. He offered the man his hand, which the man took slowly.

Carlos leaned in to whisper, the man mirrored him, “I’m Carlos, I’m a scientist. Whoever didn’t bother to show up here tonight doesn’t deserve to spend an evening in this very scientifically interesting and fashionably understated diner.” Carlos said.

The man blinked quickly a few times as his cheeks turned red. Carlos hoped it wasn’t in anger at him for intruding. Whatever the reason for the blush, it helped sell the romance act. Everyone in the diner looked away, a little embarrassed for having spied on an (apparently) intimate moment. As he resettled into his chair, Carlos thought there must be a scientific explanation for how anyone can smell that good.

Carlos suddenly became conscious of exactly how handsome and well-dressed the man opposite him was. He picked up his menu to hide the blush he felt creeping up his own neck. How close had he leaned in? Was it too close?

After a silence that lasted just too long, Carlos said, “Well, babe, I’ve never eaten here, do you have anything you suggest?”

When Carlos looked up the handsome man looked just as flustered as before. “Uhm…” He said, “the portobello is good…” He sounded a little uncertain.

“That sounds wonderful.” Carlos said, ”Oh I forgot!” He leaned forward again- not quite as close this time but still close enough to smell the beautiful, bashful man opposite him’s warm, clean scent. “What’s your name? Or should I just keep calling you ‘babe?’”

The man opened his mouth, then closed it again. His already red cheeks darkened. He cleared his throat and said, finally, “I’m Cecil- I’m… Cecil Palmer.”

* * * * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Originally dedicated "to the VERY kind anon that suggested doing this fic from Carlos’s pov. I hope you enjoyed it <3"  
> That anon is incidentally the one who gave this trope this a name.


End file.
